Best Cordless Vacuum for Pet Hair – Complete Guide!

An Easy Guide to Help Select the Best Cordless Vacuum for Pet Hair! Latest 2019 Recommendations! (Side-by-Side Comparisons)

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) the total number of households in the US that own pets is 79,463,000. That’s a lot of pets and a whole lot of pet hair! If you share your home with a cat or dog you want to choose the Best Cordless Vacuum for Pet Hair possible to help make your life easier.

Getting rid a cat’s or dog’s hair from our home is the ultimate challenge for any type of vacuum cleaner. Until a few short years ago it was considered a job only for a well-designed and powerful corded vacuum – and perhaps only wishful thinking that someday a cordless vacuum could ever successfully rise to the challenge.

Someday has arrived! The latest DC digital motor and lithium battery technology have made that wish a reality. But don’t ditch your full-size corded vacuum just yet!

Even with all the latest advancements, battery-powered stick vacuums still cannot measure up to the utility and efficiency of a full-size corded AC upright vacuum and probably never will – and here’s why:

Besides the absence of a cord to deal with, another reason so many pet owners are attracted to them is they are very light weight making them very easy to handle.

A typical cordless stick vacuum only weighs around 5 to 8 pounds, making it a “light duty” floor care appliance. Compare that to the average corded upright vacuum that weighs two to three times that much. And most of that weight is in the motor which generates 2x to 3x times as many cubic feet per minute of suction. So, it’s not realistic to expect comparable cleaning performance.

Convenience is a Compromise!

A cordless vacuum depends on an on-board battery for its power source and in order to keep the weight manageable the battery must be relatively small. This compromise limits the amount of operating time that can be obtained on a single charge. That, in turn, limits the amount of cleaning you can accomplish before having to re-charge the battery.

This compromise may not be that important if you only have one cat or dog that happens to have relatively short fur. In that case, a well-designed cordless vacuum will work just fine. But, if you have multiple or larger pets that shed a lot of fur you’re probably not going to be satisfied with a cordless vacuum, except for quick clean-ups or maintenance cleaning. I would suggest that you consider a good Corded Pet Hair Vacuum.

The bottom line is, that with a Cordless Vacuum you are compromising overall cleaning performance for convenience. That’s not to say it doesn’t offer value – if it only helps you to stay on top of the day-to-day messes its probably a wise investment. And, in some circumstances a cordless vacuum could serve as a Primary Vacuum.

What to Look for In a Cordless Pet Hair Vacuum

When a pet sheds its fur it settles on smooth floors as well as carpeted floors – not to mention the hair that gets tracked on to carpeted stairs, and ends up on the furniture. Since most homes have a combination of floor types it’s important to choose a model that is designed to work effectively on each of them. Additionally, it should have the necessary features and attachments for above-floor cleaning.

Since the cordless vacuum cleaner revolution began a few years ago I have had the experience of researching and reviewing a multitude of battery-powered stick vacuum models. I have learned by experience there are six (6) key features or qualities it must have for it to work best for removing pet hair.

Powerful Suction: The most important feature to look for when selecting a vacuum is Powerful Suction. On a cordless vacuum, the primary determining factor that governs suction power is the Voltage of the battery and DC Motor. So, as a general rule, you want to look for the vacuum model with the highest Voltage rating. The top rated cordless stick vacuums are generally equipped with 19 to 25 Volt batteries.

Motor Powered Brushroll: A motor powered brushroll is just as important as powerful suction. In fact, no matter how strong the suction a vacuum cleaner produces it has virtually no chance of removing pet hair once it has become entwined in the carpet fibers. Depending on the breed and species, the shaft of a pet hair has a rough scaly surface that makes it difficult to remove from the carpet pile. The mechanical agitation of a brush is absolutely necessary to loosen it from the grip of the pile and move it into the suction zone so it can be conveyed into the dirt cup.

Sufficient Runtime: The biggest perceived advantage of a cordless vacuum is the convenience of not having to deal with a long power cord every time you operate it. But there’s no net gain if your machine doesn’t provide enough Runtime to get the job done between charges. The moment you press the power button, the clock begins ticking. The problem is that Runtime is primary a function of battery capacity or size. Bigger is generally better but it’s also heavier. Most of the top-rated cordless stick vacuums offer 20 to 30 minutes of runtime while operating both suction and a motor powered brushroll. That’s sufficient time to clean a medium size room, do several quick clean-ups, or maintain an already mostly clean house. If you are looking for a vacuum to be able to clean several rooms in one cleaning session I have found the best solution is to choose a model that has an easily Detachable Battery. That way, you can purchase a 2nd battery to swap out when the first battery loses its charge. This will serve to double your vacuum’s running time!

Sufficient Capacity: Pet hair takes up a lot of space so it’s important to choose a model that has ample Dirt Cup capacity. Otherwise you will be spending too much time having to stop and empty the cup causing a net loss as far as convenience and time saving goes. This is another area where I believe cordless vacuums (in general) need to be improved.

Effective Filtration: One of the most important features pet owners should look for is Effective Filtration. You’re probably aware that pets shed more than just their fur. They also shed pet dander that attracts dust mites and dust mites leave feces, especially in your carpet. This cycle can become an allergy sufferer’s nightmare. The top-rated Cordless Vacuums feature filtration systems that will trap up to 99% of unhealthy particulates and keep them from being exhausted back in to the air you breathe. (SEE: Effective Filtration Is a Critical Feature for All Vacuum Cleaners )

Versatility: It’s important that your new cleaning machine has sufficient features and attachments to deal with all the messes pet owners typically encounter. Most of the newer generation of Cordless Stick Vacuums easily convert to a convenient handheld unit that works extremely well for dealing with dirt, debris, plus hair on stairs, furniture, and above-floor areas. Also, the more attachments available the better!

Best Cordless Vacuums for Pet Hair – RECOMMENDATIONS!

NOTE: Updated for 2019.

Because of the huge demand for Cordless Vacuums manufactures are burning the midnight oil trying to develop the “latest & greatest” model. There are currently a lot of decent models to choose from made by both the familiar brands and also from some new firms who are busy trying to carve out a piece of the action.

I want my customers to have the best experience possible so I have carefully researched and reviewed each of the vacuum models recommended below. Each one has a combination of the features I mentioned above plus other unique features. Each one has proven to be a formidable weapon in the war on pet hair.

I have provided a Side-by-Side Comparison Chart of each of these Vacuums to help you decide which one is the best fit for your needs. SEE BELOW.

Finally, a really Practical cordless vacuum for pet owners! Don’t get me wrong, I love the very popular

“motorhead” design that made cleaning your floors fun. But the new ION P50 Cordless Upright Vacuum (IC162) from SharkNinja is not only fun to operate; it’s a really practical appliance for anyone who shares their home with furry pets.

First off, SharkNinja has equipped the IC162 with their patented and proven DuoClean Power Head. It amounts to Two Rollers in One Power Head – a Soft Roller for unsurpassed cleaning performance of large debris on hardwood floors or carpet. It excels at removing find dirt, dust, and pet hair from wood floors and produces a “just buffed look.”

A Standard Roller with Stiff bristles in located in the rear of the power head for deep cleaning carpet. Pet hair doesn’t stand a chance with DuoClean!

There is a Floor Type Selector button located on the handle that lets you Slow Down the brushes for carpet or Speed Up for carpet.

Perhaps the biggest advantage of the DuoClean feature is you don’t have to stop cleaning to swap floor brushes every time you move to a different room like with the Dyson V8 or Cyclone V10.

The next feature that sets the ION P50 (IC162) from the competition is its FREESTANDING! When you’re done vacuuming or have to stop to answer the phone, just return it to the upright position instead of leaning it against a piece of furniture. Simply return it to it’s upright position and it’s Parked!

SharkNinja has beefed up the suction power to an amazing 79 inches of water lift which is the highest currently available on a cordless vacuum. That’s enough suction to extract the dirt that gets trapped in the cracks between wood floor boards or along baseboards for a really thorough clean.

A 28.8 Volt Lithium-ion Battery Pack provides up to 30 minutes of Runtime in the Upright or Lift-Away Mode. This is comparable to the Dyson V8 and V10 with

about the same Air Flow volume of about 28 CFM. Up to 50 minutes in Portable Above-Floor mode is more than enough time to tackle those above-floor cleaning areas. If that’s not enough operating time you can purchase an Optional 2nd Battery Pack and Double the Runtime.

Another feature important to pet owners is the XL Dust Cup with a capacity of about 5 cups which is one of the largest available on a cordless vacuum. It’s easy to empty and clumped up pet hair or dust are not prone to sticking on the cyclone apparatus.

Check Out the Impressive Demo VIDEO!

The new Shark ION P50 Cordless Upright Vacuum (IC162) represents a Breakthrough for pet owners who are seeking the convenience Cord-Free Operation with the comparable Performance of a traditional Upright vacuum.

This is a very Practical appliance! It has the Suction Power to really do a really credible cleaning job on hardwood floors and carpet. The large 28.5 Volt battery pack provides enough Runtime to get most cleaning jobs done. The XL Dust Cup has enough capacity to let you spend your time cleaning instead of emptying.

The Shark ION P50 Cordless Upright Vacuum (IC162) is the emanation of some inspired engineers who have put a lot of thought into a design that will address the needs of their customers.

If you are seeking a practical solution for making your life easier the Shark ION P50 may be your best option!

Have you looked at the new tineco A10 Hero Cordless Stick Vacuum yet?? If you are like me I didn’t

recognize the name tineco either. Normally I don’t recommend a product from a company that has no track record to stand on, but it turns out that tineco is the new cordless stick vacuum division of the well-established company, Ecovacs Robotics, Inc., located at 487 Bryant Street, 1st Floor San Francisco, CA 94107, CustomerService@Ecovacs.com, 1 /844-326-8227.

When I reviewed the new tineco A10 Hero Cord-Free Stick it demonstrated excellent performance for cleaning pet hair from my hardwood floor and low to medium pile carpet.

I was favorably impressed with the suction power of this product. It delivers 110 Air Watts of suction power, compared to the Dyson V8 Animal’s 115 Air Watts. Even more impressive, it’s much less expensive than the Dyson.

This machine has good build quality and features. It arrives equipped and ready to take on most of your pet cleaning chores.

Tineco provides a well-designed Mini-Power Brush that’s ideal for cleaning stairs, both the horizontal and vertical portion. Or, use it for cleaning messes on lush upholstery.

A 2-in-1 Dusting Brush easily cleans furniture, drapes, and tight places on hard floors. Use the Crevice Tool to clean between cushions and or other narrow places.

The Wand and attachments snap on and off easily with one hand while on-the-fly. Press the MAX Suction button for those really stubborn areas.

Another feature that I really like about the tineco A10 Hero is it has a Removable Battery Pack. This enables you to purchase a 2nd Optional Battery Pack and use it to double its runtime.

The only disappointment I had when testing this product is it didn’t pick up large debris such as dried dog or cat food from my hardwood floor. That’s because the powered floor brush is designed for mostly carpet. The good news is you can purchase an Optional Hard Floor Power Brush that totally cleans any mess you might encounter on your hard floors.

A smarter option is to upgrade to tineco’s A10 Master Edition . It’s the exact same machine as the A10 Hero, except for the trim color plus it includes 2 Battery Packs, a Power Carpet Brush and a Power Hard Floor Brush, plus the other attachments at a very attractive price.

I found the tineco A10 Hero to be pleasant to operate and very effective in my cleaning tests. This may be the ideal cordless cleaning system you have been searching for!

The Dyson V8 Absolute Cord Free Vacuum is another model that deserves to be at the top of your short list. As you can see from the picture this listing is for not only the vacuum, but includes just about ever tool and attachment you will need to manage the pet hair in your home.

It is on the “pricy” side but the Dyson name has earned the reputation for offering quality floor care products. Their motor head concept has become an icon that other manufactures try to emulate.

The features that impress me the most about this vacuum are:

Excellent suction power and a direct-drive brush for seriously cleaning carpet. It also comes with the Soft Roller which works amazingly well on smooth floors and hard floors.

Good Runtime at 25 min at full-power with the motorized floor brush and up to 40 minutes with suction only.

Take a LOOK at this Informative Dyson Demo VIDEO

The Dyson V8 Absolute Cord Free Stick Vacuum is very well made and it does an excellent job at deep cleaning dirt and hair from carpet. With the Soft Floor Brush it works extremely well on smooth floors also. This unique design will enable you to easily vacuum up the large debris that pets typically leave on the kitchen floor such as Kibble & Bits or Meow Mix. Say good by to scattered kitty litter.

The issue that I don’t like about the V8 Absolute Stick is that the battery is housed in the handle and is Not removable. So, this limits your runtime to approx. 25 minutes while using the powered floor brush or Mini-brush and 40 minutes of suction only operation. That is plenty of time however, to do a lot of cleaning. However, if you want to clean more than 2 or 3 rooms you will have to wait for the battery to recharge.

Dyson offers a 2 Year Warranty with this vacuum.

The Dyson V8 Absolute Cord Free Stick Vacuum is a top-of-the-line appliance and receives high marks for its cleaning performance, versatility, and quality. The HEPA Filtration makes the V8 Absolute a smart option if you suffer with allergies or other respiratory issues.

The Dyson V8 Absolute bundle is actually an arsenal for your war on pet hair. I highly recommend the Dyson V8 as a Secondary pet care vacuum that will save you time when it comes to spot cleaning, maintenance cleaning, or quick clean ups around the house. Or, if your home and pet/s are on the small side it could be used as a primary vacuum.

This new model is currently my favorite cordless vacuum for dealing with pet hair – and here are the reasons why:

The new Shark IONFlex DuoClean Cordless Ultra-Light Vacuum IF201 is equipped with a powerful 25.2 Volt Removable Battery making it easy to swap-on-the-fly to double the average runtime of up to 50 minutes while operating it on High, with the Motorized Brushroll. That’s enough time to clean several rooms at one cleaning session.

It has a sufficiently large Dust Cup capacity at 0.3 dry quarts. That’s enough capacity to accomplish a significant amount of cleaning before emptying.

The DuoClean feature is the best idea I have seen for cleaning smooth and hardwood floors as well as carpet. It’s especially effective for cleaning up cereal, Kitty Litter, dry pet food like Meow Mix or Purina Dog Chow without slinging it all over the house.

The IONFlex feature makes the Shark IF201 the most versatile cordless stick vacuum currently available. Not only does it enable you to easily reach under furniture (without bending over,) but it also allows you to park it anywhere without leaning it or using the wall-mount hanging bracket. No other vacuum has this ability at this time!

SharkNinja warranties the IONFlex IF201 for 5 Years. That’s the longest warranty on any cordless vacuum.

When it comes to helpful cordless tools and appliances Black and Decker is a name that has earned a place at the top of the list. After all, they pioneered the first commercially successful battery-powered handheld vacuum.

The BLACK and DECKER POWERSERIES PRO Cordless Lithium 2 in1 Pet Stick Vacuum, HCUA525JP is a departure from the trendy motorhead stick vacuum design that positions the motor at the top along with the dirt cup. Instead, B&D has built this model upon the more traditional Upright configuration. You might ask “why is this important to me?” In the first place the B&D Powerseries Pro HCUA525JP will stand on its own without having to lean it against a wall or furniture every time you have to stop and answer the phone. Also, the center of gravity is lower placing more weight on the floor nozzle instead of near the handle.

Even though it has a traditional upright vacuum configuration, it boasts some

innovative features that make it highly effective for managing pet hair.

One of the issues that can make vacuuming pet hair an pleasant chore is having to remove hair that gets tangled around the brushroll. B&D has addressed this issue by incorporating Anti-Tangle Bristles in the brushroll. It doesn’t eliminate the problem completely but it helps considerably.

The air channels on this machine are sufficient size to handle clumps of fur without clogging, a common problem with many cordless stick vacuums.

A 20V Lithium Battery provides plenty of suction power to get the job done and up to 60 minutes of runtime (suction-only.) You can expect 20 to 25 minutes while operating with the motorized floor brush.

Its charged by a small yet efficient jack plug charger that plugs into any convenient 110/120V wall receptacle.

One of the features I really like is this vacuum Stands Alone. It doesn’t require a wall-mounted bracket like most of the motorhead designs. Just move it to the upright position to Park it.

A common complaint with some of the other cordless pet vacuums is insufficient dirt cup capacity. Black and Decker has solved this problem with a clever Dust Compacter that creates 1.05 quarts of space in the dirt canister so you don’t have to stop every 3 minutes to empty. Additionally it makes it easier to empty once it is full, which is a huge plus (you shouldn’t have to touch the yucky nasty dirt and hair once the vacuum cleaner has done its job.)

SMARTECH is a B&D proprietary feature that performs 3 very important functions:

AUTOSENSE automatically regulates the suction as you move from carpet to bare floors to maximize runtime

BATTERYSENSE lets you monitor your remaining battery time

FILTERSENSE lets you know when to clean the filter

Another feature that really impresses me is the unique Lift-Off capability. This vacuum allows you to carry the light-weight canister with one hand while using the flex hose and attachments to clean furniture, counter tops, or 4 foot overhead areas using the extension wand.

Anti-Tangle Rubber bristles do a superior job of lifting out trapped pet hair from carpets as well as from smooth hard floors.

2 comments for “Best Cordless Vacuum for Pet Hair – Complete Guide!”

Hi John, Yes, you CAN use the Shark IONFlex DuoClean Cordless Vacuum for cleaning up dog hair from both carpet and hard floors. Keep in mind that cordless stick vacuums have a relatively small dust cup capacity. So, if your dog sheds a lot of hair you would need to vacuum often. Hope this helps, Will

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